06 February, 2018
The first month of 2018 has come to an end, and there were eleven graded stakes races to start the new year off.
Every new year the first two graded stakes races held on the first day of racing is a pair of Kimpai races or "Gold Cup" races, the G3 Nakayama Kimpai in the East and the G3 Kyoto Kimpai in the West. The 2000m Nakayama Kimpai was the most diverse race with horses ranging from four-year-olds to eight-year-olds of both sexes all participating. The finish proved to be a nail-biter between the top four finishers, with necks separating all of them. The first graded stakes of the year went to a four-year-old colt name Seda Brillantes(JPN) by Japanese Derby winner Deep Brillante(JPN) who was also the post time favorite. Runner-up Win Bright(JPN) and Seda Brillantes(JPN) stalked the pacesetter till they hit the top of the stretch. Win Bright(JPN) made the first move to take the lead as they sprinted down Nakayama's short uphill straight but Seda Brillantes(JPN) wore him down in the final furlong. The 1600m Kyoto Kimpai went off ten minutes after the Nakayama Kimpai, and it too was a fairly diverse field in both age and sex. However, the elders had the edge in this race. Fourth favorite six-year-old Black Moon(JPN) was wide for most of the trip, but it didn't seem to bother him as he ran around his competitors to confidently win the race. Runner-up Kluger(JPN) threaded horses in the field to earn his second-place finish the honest way over post time favorite Red en Ciel(JPN).
There were three-year-old only graded stakes races in January, the G3 Shinzan Kinen, and G3 Keisei Hai, then the G3 Fairy Stakes for fillies. All three races are the first step on the Japanese classic road for these newly turned three-year-olds. The first one was the 1600m Fairy Stakes at Nakayama, where second favorite Primo Scene(JPN) solidly captured her first graded stakes title. The daughter of Deep Impact finished 1¼ lengths ahead of 6th favorite Scarlet Color(JPN). The next race was the 1600m Shinzan Kinen at Kyoto where favorite Almond Eye(JPN) gave his sire Lord Kanaloa(JPN) his first graded stakes win. The final classic prep of January was the 2000m Keisei Hai, which has produced some great horses over the years. With Generale Uno(JPN)'s win that day, Screen Hero(JPN), most famously the sire of Hokkaido Sale Training Sale graduate and six-time G1 winner Maurice(JPN), can now say he has a prospective classic horse on his stud resume. The nearly black colt is a graduate of the 2016 Hokkaido Sale Selection Sale and went off as post time favorite and stalked the pacesetter the entire way before overtaking him at the 200m mark and easily held off all advances.
Older fillies and mares were not left out of the mix and had their own race, the G3 Aichi Hai at Chukyo Racecourse on January 13th. 2000m turf race's winner Eternal Minoru(JPN) gave recently repatriated Empire Maker(USA) a third JRA graded stakes win. She took a commanding lead mid-stretch and held off runner-up Reiho Romance(JPN)'s sizzling advances in time to cross the finish.
Stayers have plenty of options in Japan, and two such races were held in January, the G2 Nikkei Shinshun Hai, and the G2 American Jockey Club Cup. Both of these races can be used as preps for the 3200m G1 Tenno Sho Haru in late April. The first to be held was the 2400m Nikkei Shinshun Hai at Kyoto Racecourse on January 14th. It should be little surprise that a son of the late Stay Gold(JPN) known for his stayers like Orfevre(JPN) and Gold Ship(JPN) would also be represented in the winner's circle in this race. It wasn't an easy win for the five-year-old Perform a Promise(JPN), as runner-up Lord Vent d'Oro(JPN) gave him a proper run for his money holding on till the final few strides with only a neck between the two. The 2200m American Jockey Club Cup held at Nakayama on January 21st could have given the JRA a new star in the making in the form of newly minted four-year-old Danburite(JPN). The son of Rulership(JPN), who also won this race back in 2012, won by an easy two lengths. He has been no stranger to graded races, having placed in a G3 as a two-year-old and having had a trio of third places during the classic season last year. He will be one to watch this year.
While dirt graded stakes in the JRA are few and far between there are usually a couple every month. In January there was the G2 Tokai Stakes at Chukyo on January 21st where the remarkably consistent T M Jinsoku(JPN) who is usually close to the lead, impressively wired the 1800m race. While runner-up Cosmo Canadian(JPN) ate away at his amazing lead, it was another six lengths back to Molto Bene(JPN) in third. Coming off near miss in the G1 Champions Cup last month, the grey son of Kurofune(USA) will likely be seen again in the 1600m G1 February Stakes in the coming weeks. The 1400m Negishi Stakes on January 28th was a shorter race but still could produce runners for the February Stakes, especially with winner Nonkono Yume(JPN)'s fantastic come back performance. Despite coming from way off the pace, the six-year-old gelding who hadn't won a race since 2015, seemed to be reliving his three-year-old glory days as he stormed down the long straight at Tokyo, the site of his two JRA graded stakes wins. He ran down runner-up Sunrise Nova(JPN) like a horse who wanted to win.
The sprinter division had one representative in the G3 Silk Road Stakes on January 28th at Kyoto Racecourse. The first turf G1 of every year is the Takamatsunomiya Kinen at the end of March, so this is often an early prep for horses looking to elevate themselves. The race was dominated by sons of Japan Cup winner Admire Moon(JPN) who sired the first three home. Winner Fine Needle(JPN) had previously won the G2 Centaur Stakes last fall before running poorly in the G1 Sprinters Stakes a month later. The five-year-old seemed to have left that disappointment far behind him as he finished a solid two lengths in front of last year's Takamatsunomiya Kinen winner Seiun Kosei(JPN). While it is always desirable to win a race one is entered in, the runner-up position shouldn't upset Seiun Kosei(JPN) too much as he ran second last year before claiming his first G1 title. This race might have set him up for a repeat performance later in the spring.
All JRA graded stakes results and race replays are available on Japan Association for International Racing and Stud Book (JAIRS)'s website: http://japanracing.jp/
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Satomi Oka (Ms)
Satomi Oka Bloodstock Pty Ltd
E-mail : satomi@bloodstock.jp
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